Making Up Is Hard To Do An ATC for The Way It Is
by lilyjack00
Summary: "Come on, Kitty, tell me the truth. You said he made you feel like a woman." He challenged her in a low voice as he hung his hat on the rack, "Did you kiss him?" She heard the key turning in her office door as he locked it behind him...


Making Up Is Hard To Do—ATC for "The Way It Is"

_This story contains plot and dialogue from the Season 8 episode of Gunsmoke entitled "The Way It Is" written by Kathleen Hite, original air date December 1, 1962. Directed by Harry Harris, Jr. Due to the vivid depiction of a consensual adult relationship, it is intended for mature readers only._

Ad Bellum squinted angrily at an unnerved, frightened Kitty Russell as they stood arguing in the nearly deserted Long Branch Saloon. He hotly demanded, "I think the Marshal's got a right to know!" Ad shifted his glare to Matt Dillon and declared, "Kitty belongs to me now! And I'm ready to go."

Matt calmly countered, "She hasn't told me that yet."

"Then tell him, Kitty, tell him!" Bellum furiously spat. "It's somethin' he's just gonna have to face. I took his girl!"

Kitty's eyes desperately shot to Matt who tried to reason with the insistent, infuriated man. "Bellum, maybe you and I had better sit down and have a little talk."

Ad Bellum was having none of it. Punching Matt solidly in the jaw, he forcefully grabbed Kitty by both arms. "Let's go!"

She desperately struggled as the large, powerful man dragged her toward the door, remembering his earlier chilling promise to kill her.

"Let go of me!" she cried and backhanded him hard across the face. This only served to infuriate the violently possessive man even more. He got a choke hold around Kitty's slender neck.

Matt quickly launched his fist at Ad's face, connecting and knocking him against the saloon's swinging doors. Matt pushed Kitty to safety behind him.

Bellum snarled, "I'm gonna kill you both," and drew his gun to fire toward the couple.

But Matt drew faster and fired first, his bullet reaching its mark. Bellum was like an angry, dangerous, wounded animal. In spite of being hit, Ad relentlessly aimed his gun at Matt and Kitty. Matt had no choice but to fire once more, fatally wounding him this time, his body crashing through the doors of the saloon.

After checking Bellum's body, Matt looked anxiously back at Kitty who stood, simply stunned, with her arms wrapped protectively around her waist. He stepped close and said gently, "I'm sorry, Kitty."

She finally spoke haltingly, trying to make sense of it all. "Ad was… two men. He could be so kind and gentle…and …and he could make a woman feel like such a woman." Her face twisted in regret. "You just saw the other one." She turned away from Matt and faced the bar, but he followed.

"I'll take care of things here, Kitty, and I'll be back later." He looked at Sam in shared, quiet concern, and Sam, in turn, glanced worriedly at an obviously troubled Kitty. She didn't answer, but stared into space.

Matt continued, "Maybe we can have supper tonight or somethin'."

Kitty finally nodded.

He headed for the door but she called wistfully after him, "Matt…" He turned to look back at her.

Her eyes, full of regret, sorrow, relief, and maybe something more, searched his face. "I…Matt," she stumbled. "I…"

"I know, Kitty…. I'll see you later." He pushed thought the door as she and Sam looked after him.

Sam gently smiled and admitted, "I'm sure glad he's back."

She swallowed hard, unable to respond.

Sam added gratefully, "He's an awful good man to have around, Miss Kitty."

Finally returning his kindly gaze, she gave a small, secretive smile, replying, "He's the best." Then she gathered her skirts and climbed the staircase to her room to change her torn dress. Matt would return, and Kitty wanted to be ready for him.

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"Now, Kitty, don't go gettin' yourself all upset now, you hear? You know that Matt can't help it that he was pulled away suddenly," Doc cajoled soothingly as he patted her arm. He couldn't help but notice that her sapphire eyes had filled with unshed tears when he and Chester were the ones who had met Kitty at the Long Branch, dressed to the nines and waiting expectantly for Matt.

Attempting to console her, Chester clarified, "Miss Kitty, Mr. Dillon sent me specifically to find you and take you to a nice dinner at Delmonico's. He was purty upset that those rapscallion Meacham brothers chose this very evening to cause such a fuss over to the Parker homestead." Chester scratched his head and added, "I shoulda' gone my own self to help 'im out, but he insisted that I come take care of you, since you was probably upset over that Ad Bedlam fella and all…"

Kitty glared at him, and he seemed to wilt a bit under the force of her gaze.

Doc fumed, "Dadblasted, Chester, don't you dare get her all worked up again! I thought I told you not to mention…" Doc took off his hat and whacked Chester on the arm with it. "Leave it to you…"

Kitty interjected, "Boys…"

"I didn't mean to…"

"No, you don't ever mean to…"

Kitty tried again to be heard over the ruckus, "Doc…"

"Now, Doc, you cain't blame this on me. I wasn't the one to go and take up with that…"

Doc bellowed indignantly, "Chester!"

Kitty bit her bottom lip and held her chin up. She said in a tight voice, "Thank you, boys, but I think I'll take a rain check on that supper."

"Oh, Kitty, honey, come on now…"

"No, Doc, I…" The words caught in her throat. "I really don't think I'd be such good company tonight." Disappointment welled in her chest and threatened to spill hotly from her liquid eyes.

"Now, Miss Kitty, I didn't mean anything by what I said." Chester had the decency to look shamefaced as he hooked his thumbs in his belt and looked down at his scuffed boots. "I'm sorry. I wish you'd just come on and go with us…"

"No thanks, Chester. I know you didn't mean any harm." She cleared her throat and pinched the bridge of her nose. "But I'm not really hungry and I need to close out my books. I'll maybe just grab a bite to eat later."

"Are you sure, Kitty?" Doc took her hand anxiously. "You sure you won't change your mind and go with us?"

"I'm sure, Doc. You go on without me. I'll be fine." She smiled bravely, patted Doc on the arm and waded through the crowded Long Branch towards her office door.

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"You're lookin' mighty pretty tonight, Kitty."

It was late, and she looked over her shoulder from the roll-top desk where she was bent over her figures, delicately holding pince-nez spectacles at the end of a gold chain around her neck. The tall, broad-shouldered Marshal stood admiring the view from her inner office door.

_It was about time._ She'd worn this damn dress just for him. _Mighty pretty, huh?_ "Is that so?" she answered drily as she dropped her pencil onto the ledger and turned her body gracefully in the chair to face him. She was dressed in green silk tonight, the color he most liked her to wear. The dress had been special-made for yet another social occasion he'd missed, sweet little Lily Parker's wedding, because duty called, as usual. Off-the-shoulder, displaying her bountiful charms to advantage, but still ladylike, just the way Marshal Dillon liked. He appreciated his presents beautifully-wrapped, but maybe that's because he took so much pleasure in the unwrapping, she thought wryly.

He remained standing in the doorway, hat in hand, as he apologized, "Kitty, I'm awful sorry about supper tonight…"

"Yeah, well, so am I," she sighed, picking an imaginary piece of lint off her skirt.

"Come on, Kitty, you know I wanted to take you to…"

"Matt, you always _want_ to take me, but you seldom actually do." One delicately arched brow punctuated her statement.

She heard the snick of the door as he quietly closed it behind him, muffling the raucous sounds of the barroom patrons, talking, laughing, arguing, clinking glasses…encircling Matt and Kitty in relative seclusion.

Impatiently, he defended himself, "Kitty, what was I supposed to do? I'm the Marshal. It's my job to…"

"I know, Matt, I know. I just get so tired of always taking a backseat to your job," she said resignedly.

"I don't have a choice, Kitty."

"Don't you?" She knew she was being unfair, but it hurt so, always taking second place to his badge, wondering if she'd forever be his mistress of convenience and nothing more.

"You know damn well I don't have a choice. What in tarnation do you want me to do? Let the spoilers run rampant? Think about how Dodge used to be, before the law came to town. Is that what you want?"

"No, Matt, I just wish…"

"I've tried to explain it to you, Kitty. It's my job. That's just the way it is…"

"Matt, you've got to understand my point of view. I just get so tired of…"

"Tired?" Matt's anger flared. "Are you tired of _me_ now, Kitty? Is that why you took up with that Bellum fella'?"

"No!" She stood and faced him, arms crossed, exasperation flashing in her blue eyes. "How can you bring him up now?"

"Come on, Kitty, tell me the truth. You said he made you feel like a woman." He challenged her in a low voice as he hung his hat on the rack, "Did you kiss him?"

She quickly looked away from his penetrating stare, unable to answer. She heard the key turning in the latch as he locked the office door behind him, and she swallowed hard.

He sidled closer to her and spoke quietly. "That's what I was afraid of." His eyes narrowed as they slowly raked over her body, making her feel undressed. "So he made you feel like a woman, huh?" he said accusingly.

"Did he kiss you like this?" His arm quickly wrapped around her small waist, the force of his scorching kiss arching her back. His devouring lips plundered hers, his tongue savaged her mouth, his teeth nipped at her lips until they tingled. She couldn't breathe, and she felt her knees would give way any second. His fingers tangled in her hair, copper red curls falling from their restraints.

He felt her lean hard against him for support and he broke their fevered kiss at last. Pulling back, he scrutinized her hooded eyes, drunken with desire. "Did he, Kitty? Did he kiss you like that?"

She couldn't answer, her breathing ragged, her limbs shaken by the force of his frenzied passion.

"Did you let him touch you, Kitty?" Matt growled.

She began to wordlessly shake her head, but he slipped determinedly behind her, his breath hot in her ear. "Did he touch you like this?" His hand easily slid down the front of her low-cut dress and beneath her lacy corset to cup one heaving breast. It was a perfect fit for his large hand, and she moaned quietly while his nails scraped against her peach-soft skin as he kneaded and crushed her flesh in his. His probing fingers found her nipple and squeezed it until she moaned longingly in response, unable to move, unable to speak.

She'd never seen this side of Matt before, the jealous lover, her hot-blooded champion. His scorching touch, his ravenous hunger for her produced a warmth, a longing ache that slowly spread throughout her pulsating center until she felt herself dripping with overwhelming desire.

Matt spun her around and grasped her face roughly between his hands, "Did you make love to him, Kitty? I need to know. Did you?"

Before she could answer, he'd grabbed her waist and bent her over the cluttered desk. Stray papers and pencils and ledgers scattered as she steadied herself for his feverish onslaught. She felt him lift the back of her skirts and shut her eyes as his powerful hands ripped at her delicate underthings, letting them fall to the floor. She felt him push her feet apart, spreading her legs wide to accept him as he unbuttoned his pants to unsheathe the throbbing proof of his desire for her.

She sucked in a breath as she felt his large fingers slide inside her heated, glistening opening, and she cried out in surprise. His deep, expressive voice rumbled in her ear, "Did you let him taste you, Kitty?" as he withdrew and savored her honeyed essence on his own fingers.

"No!" she cried at last. "I didn't. I swear!"

"Did he do this to you?" With that, his hot hardness penetrated her from behind. She gasped at the sudden entry, but she was so wet with desire that he moved easily within her velvety quivering muscles.

"Did you let him touch you here, Kitty?" He reached around underneath her skirts and found her most sensitive, aching spot. With the fingers of one hand, he roughly pinched and massaged it, all the while his muscular body pounded into her from behind. She wailed in absolute surrender to the fiery sensations overtaking her body. Quickly, he placed his free hand over her lush mouth to muffle her impassioned cries and prevent them from reaching the unsuspecting bar patrons outside her office walls. _Oh, if they only knew what the lovely Miss Kitty Russell was doing now… _

He felt her walls tense around him rhythmically as she gave a final sob, stifled by his large hand. The sensation sent him over the edge as well, and he came hotly inside of her, spilling his seed with a guttural cry that he muffled by biting down on the delicate, soft flesh of his lover's sweetly exposed shoulder. He bent closer and molded his body to hers, whispering in her ear, "Could he make you come like that, sweetheart?"

He felt her body go limp over the desk, and she looked back at him through mussed red tresses, saying quietly, "I would never have let him touch me like that, Matt Dillon. I belong to you."

He collapsed into the desk chair and pulled her into his lap, brushing the fiery loose strands of hair out of her eyes.

"You mean that?" His hand snaked under the folds of her dress and he threaded his fingers possessively through her damp red curls as she shuddered out a breath.

"Of course I mean it," She attempted to sound cross, but it was difficult with his warm, stroking fingers under her dress. "I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it."

"Alright, alright." He held up a hand in surrender. "I'm sorry." He blew out a big breath and repeated, "I'm sorry, Kitty. For everything."

She rubbed at the tender spot on her shoulder where he'd bitten her. "Dammit, Matt, that's gonna' leave a mark. I'm gonna' have to wear high-necked dresses for a week!"

Inhaling his masculine scent and tasting the salt of his sweat, she playfully bit him back on the soft skin of his neck.

"Hey! You wildcat!"

The hand under her skirts slid around to hold her firm, bare bottom, and she snuggled deeper into his lap. He murmured in her ear, "You're my sweet girl, Kitty." He could've sworn he heard her purr in contentment.

He kissed her ear and asked, "Did you eat supper?"

"No, I was too busy pouting."

"Are you hungry?"

"Starved..." One corner of her mouth turned up in a crooked smile as she invited, "Supper in my room, Cowboy?"

He kissed her, long and slow and deep, and breathed into her mouth, "I wouldn't miss it, honey…"

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